Video: UK takes steps to keep British jihadists from returning

posted at 8:01 am on September 2, 2014 by Ed Morrissey

Can the UK protect itself from the danger presented by its citizens returning after fighting for ISIS — perhaps to continue the war at home? Prime Minister David Cameron believes that British security forces have the authority to take temporary steps to block their return, but wants Parliament to pass a law granting more permanent power to impose a de facto exile on British nationals who fight for ISIS and other terror groups:

British Prime Minister David Cameron announced Monday temporary enhanced powers for police designed to keep Islamist extremists in Britain from traveling to Syria and Iraq. Cameron told parliament that police would have the ability to seize the passports of suspected militants en route to Syria or Iraq. …

Cameron said authorities also needed stronger powers “to manage the risk by expected extremists already in the United Kingdom,” and those who may travel into the UK from other countries.

The plan would allow British authorities to confiscate passports from suspected jihadists before they leave the country as well as block re-entry for those who have already fought abroad. The demand for enhanced powers has civil libertarians raising red flags:

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has laid out his battle plan to counter the threat posed by Islamist extremists returning to Britain after fighting with terror groups overseas.

But already there are questions over how effective those measures would be, whether they are legal and whether Cameron, who heads a coalition government, can push them through Parliament.

“Dealing with this terrorist threat is not just about new powers, it is also about how we combat extremism in all its forms,” said Cameron as he announced his plans on Monday.

Cameron said that among the measures envisaged was a plan to give border police powers to seize passports from departing would-be jihadists and restricting the movement of suspects.

But he failed to give details or a timetable for implementation and said a proposal to block suspected fighters from returning to Britain was being looked at.

The proposal is a controversial one in international law as it would be illegal to make British nationals “stateless”.

“He is doing all he can to sound tough without having the detail in place to back up the rhetoric,” wrote Rachel Sylvester, a political commentator for the Times.

She cited the former head of public prosecutions Ken Macdonald as saying that officials were in “la-la land” if they thought the idea of blocking jihadists would be accepted by the international community.

Where would the British jihadists go, if not back to the UK? Would they be arrested, or simply end up stuck in an airport indefinitely, unable to move in any direction? The Financial Times noted that this could end up putting Turkey on the spot to house the jihadists, as many of them traveled through Turkey to get to the front lines. That might make Turkey less cooperative in dealing with the situation it helped create in Syria in its haste to get rid of Bashar al-Assad. The notion of stateless exile may well have other nations concerned, too, who will eventually have to deal with the problem.

Still, at least the UK appears to be looking for specific solutions to deal with the problem of returning jihadis. The US and other nations who have nationals fighting in ISIS appear to be dealing with the threat with much less alacrity. Lacking specifics may be a problem for Cameron, but lacking any direction is a much bigger problem for the others.

Good for trying, I guess, but it’s too late. They created their own problems with their multiculturalism push. All in the name of diversity and inclusion. Their short-sightedness is now coming back to bite them in the butts.

In the meantime the lazy stupid bastard in the White House spent yesterday talking about the need to raise the minimum wage so that some uneducated member of his voting bloc can make more money putting frozen potato bits into hot oil. No mention at all of ISO in his or Biden’s remarks. And today, I’m sure he’ll call some Hollywood starlet to express sympathy that her naked pictures made it to the internet.

Perhaps when Obama attends the NATO summit later this week he can ask to borrow a cup of backbone from the Brits.

Good for trying, I guess, but it’s too late. They created their own problems with their multiculturalism push. All in the name of diversity and inclusion. Their short-sightedness is now coming back to bite them in the butts.

Syzygy on September 2, 2014 at 8:09 AM

Multiculturalism never works mainly because it’s based on a flawed premise that all cultures are created equal. They are not.

The problem also exists in the US, but is hushed by the PC Press Corpse. We have our own incidents of beheadings, “honor” killings, and domestic terrorist incidents courtesy of the Religion of Murder, and our own enclaves such as Dearbornistan, Minneapolistan, and Columbistan (which is frighteningly only 2 hours away from me).

No President in our history compares to the fecklessness of Barack HUSSEIN Obama. Not even the worse of the Roman Emperors compares to his ineffectiveness.

ConstantineXI on September 2, 2014 at 8:24 AM

This is so very true, however, WE won’t be writing the history after he leaves office. Within five years, you will see lists of the best Presidents and BHO will be in the top 5. And even before that, half the public schools in the country will be re-named BHO School.

Unfortunately, the UK has given control over to the EU. When they have tried to deport people after a prison sentence for murder, it was blocked b/c the poor darling would no longer fit in. When they tried to deport a pervert, same thing: it would be unfair to his wife and kids in the UK. When they tried to deport a terrorist back to Morocco, again it was blocked because Morocco might violate his rights. And before you laugh, we are heading in the same crazy direction.

No President in our history compares to the fecklessness of Barack HUSSEIN Obama. Not even the worse of the Roman Emperors compares to his ineffectiveness.

ConstantineXI on September 2, 2014 at 8:24 AM

You assume Obama has the interests of you and the United States and western world as his top priority.
But what if they aren’t…if you look at his actions from the “other side” his actions or lack there of are quite helpful and accomodating to them.

This is so very true, however, WE won’t be writing the history after he leaves office. Within five years, you will see lists of the best Presidents and BHO will be in the top 5. And even before that, half the public schools in the country will be re-named BHO School.

Alabama Infidel on September 2, 2014 at 9:01 AM

In this case, I don’t think so. Obama has been such an unmitigated DISASTER that the consequences of his policies won’t be able to be whitewashed.

He’s wrought so much damage that I don’t see things recovering in my lifetime (I am 42).

The idiots of the British left sold England to the third world for political power and one party rule. The results have been predictable and disastrous. Now they are an incubator for terrorism. Clean house on the muslims or die, Britain. Churchill is rolling in his grave. Obama is doing the same thing with his third world invasion.

Dearbornistan, Minneapolistan, and Columbistan (which is frighteningly only 2 hours away from me).

Your lucky. My office is in Dearbornistan but I live about 30-40 mins North of Detroit and many of the stores have both English and Arabic writing on them. A new mosque is being built about 2 miles from my home (and about 1.5 mile away from a public and a private gun range, a Muslim community trend here in Michigan). With the new mosque comes the calls to prayer multiple times a day.
Muslims will lay down in the middle of stores, gyms and other public places to pray. You can’t get around them and to complain makes you a hater and open to lawsuits. So those who can sell their homes and move further North to get away from it. And the people buying are more Muslims.

I often wonder what muzzies pray about when they pray. Do they pray for Gods love, forgiveness, and for power to not to sin again? Doesn’t the koran mention sin? I don’t know because I know very little of the koran except that its all bad and evil. I will not be PC but is lam ‘s father is the devil and he created this religion to imitate Christianity. I never see anything good that comes out of a muslims mouth or their leaders.

Muslims will lay down in the middle of stores, gyms and other public places to pray. You can’t get around them and to complain makes you a hater and open to lawsuits. So those who can sell their homes and move further North to get away from it. And the people buying are more Muslims.

mechkiller_k on September 2, 2014 at 11:13 AM

Liberal fools encourage this stuff, not realizing that they will be the first heads sawed off with a dull knife once shria law is fully implemented here.

And I have no problem with anyone practicing their religion, even if that religion is a death cult. But you don’t see Christians holding Communion in the frozen food section of Walmart.